5 great things TAMU could have done with their money instead of hiring Jimbo"
1. Annual Expenditures for Palau ($99.5 million)
The Republic of Palau is located in the Pacific Ocean and has a population of about 21,000. Primary industries include tourism, craft items, construction, and garment making. For 2008, which is the latest year when figures are available, its expenditures were $99.5 million against revenues of $115 million, which netted a surplus. (This is according to the CIA World Factbook.) Maybe Palau can send some of its budget experts to the U.S. government for consultation.
2. "Portrait de L’Artiste Sans Barbe" ("Portrait of the Artist without Beard") by Vincent Van Gogh: ($98.5 million)
Though originally auctioned off for $71.5 million in 1998 by Christie’s, New York, this 1889 impressionist painting is estimated to have an adjusted 2011 price tag of $98.5 million. It is considered the most expensive of the artist’s recently auctioned paintings.
3. 13 Miles of Interstate Highway ($100 million)
A four-lane divided urban interstate runs about $7.5 million per mile, according to the Florida Department of Transportation. This includes a closed 22-foot median with barrier walls and 10-foot shoulders inside and out. So spending $100 million buys about 13.3 miles of highway.
4. High-Tech Roller Coaster ($105 million)
You won’t need a lot of space if you build a 3-D simulator ride like the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. Though your coaster car bucks and rolls, the scenery around you also moves, putting you in the middle of the action, without needing long tracks or tall loops. And if you tire of the current offering, you can always reprogram your ride to something new.
5. 28 Commercial Wind Turbines ($98 million)
If you’ve ever wanted to live off the grid, then a commercial wind turbine can supply 2.5 megawatts of power at $3.5 million each, according to Windustry. Using 28 of them can produce enough energy to power between 16,000 to 21,000 homes cleanly for about a year. This will make you popular in your neighborhood.